Automatic swinging straw staokee



(No Model.) 3 sheets-Sheet 1,

P. MULLER.

AUTOMATIC SWINGING STRAW STA'GKER. No. 509,386. Patented Nov. 28, 1893.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet a.

P. MULLER; I AUTOMATIC ,SWINGING- STR AW S-TAGKBR. No. 509.38 PatenpedNov..28; 1893.

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Worv-c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

PETER MULLER, OF KEMI, MINNESOTA.

AUTOMATIC SWINGING STRAW -S'FACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,386, dated November 28 1893.

Application filed April 24, 1893. Serial No. 471.720. (No model.) 7

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER MiiLLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kemi, in

v the county of Cottonwood and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Straw-Stackers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in straw stackers; and its novelty and advantages will be fully understood from the follow ng description and claims when taken in con unction with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a plan view of my improved stacker, with parts broken away to better illustrate the mechanism. 7 Fig. 2, is a vertical, longitudinal section of the same, illustrating the position of the stacker with respect to the shoe of a separator or'thrashing machine. Fig. 3, is a detail, elevation, illustrating a portion of the gearing for raising the straw carrier or elevator. Fig. 4, is a detail elevation of the weighted lever for automatically reversing the direction of the swin ging movement of the straw carrier or elevator. Fig. 5, is a similar view of the quadrant which operates in conjunction with the weighted lever, and Fig. 6, is'an enlarged view illustrating the mechanism through the medium of which the straw carrier. is swung laterally to and fro so as to distribute the straw evenly over the stack.

Referring by letter to said drawings:-J, indicates the shoe of a grain separator'or thrashing machine, which is preferablyprovided with an extension as J and A, indicates the main frame of myimproved stacker which is preferably provided with a rear extension which rests beneath the shoe J, as shown. This frame A, may be of any ap= proved construction (that shown being preferable), and it serves to support the pivoted base 'i, of the straw carrier or elevator A, to-

gether with the mechanism for swinging said base and the straw carrier laterally and automatically reversing the direction of movement thereof; and the mechanism through the medium of which the straw carrier or, elevator is raised or lowered. The said base i,

ofthe elevator or carrier, is loosely mounted upon a vertical shaft as m, journaled in the forward portion of the frame, and it is provided upon its under side with a turn plate or table I, which engaging a corresponding plate on the frame enables the base to turn freely as will be presently described.

Journaled in standards at the ends of the base 2', (see Fig. 1,) is the lower shaft e, of the elevator apron (not illustrated), which shaft is provided at one end with a pinion 0, and is driven from the main drive shaft 0, of the machine, through the medium of the miter gears E, E, on the shafts O, and F, the pinion G, on said shaft F, the miter gear H, on the lower end of the shaft '00, the gear t,

on the upper end of said shaft, the pinion u,

on the short shaft j, and the pinion p, on said shaft, which latter pinion meshes with the pinion o. By reason of this gearing, it will be seen that the shaft 6, will be continuously rotated and'the endless apron 0f the carrier will be caused to travel in one direction, irrespective of the position of the carrier or elevator which is a desideratu'm.

T, indicates the sprocket chain, through the medium of which the base '5, and the straw carrier or elevator are swung laterally. This chain T, is connected at one end to the base 'i,'and at itsopposite end to a spring t, car ried by the base; and it is passed around a sprocket wheel w, mounted on the vertical shaft '11:, which shaft also carries a gear wheel N, for the engagement'of the worm pinion M, better illustrated in Fig. 1. The worm pinion M, is loosely mounted on the shaft L, which is driven from the shaft 0, as presently described, and it is designed to be engaged and fixed upon its shaft by the clutch V,-which is actuated by the hand lever S. Thus it will be seen that the operator or attendant may readily open the train of gearing between the drive shaft and the gear'wheel N, and conse- K, have their inner sides adapted for the engagement of the double faced clutch L which is keyed or feathered upon the shaft 0, in any approved manner. By this construction it will be seen that with the drive shaft 0, turning in the direction indicated by the arrow; when the clutch L is in engagement with the pinion K, the base i, and the carrier or elevator will be swung in the direction of the arrow a, (see Fig. 1,) and when the said clutch is in engagement with the pinion K, the base and carrier or elevator will be swung in the direction of the arrow 1). Now it is highly desirable to automatically reverse the direction of movement of the base i, and the straw carrier or elevator so that said carrier will swing alternately to' the right and left; and to this end Ihave provided a mechanism for automatically shifting the double clutch L This mechanism comprises a lever O, which is fulcrumed on the frame and is connected to the double clutch, a vertical quadrant R, which is pivoted on the frame and is connected by a link R, with the lever O, the vertical swinging lever Q, carrying a weight as Q, and the circular or curvilinear bar or plate P, connected to and extending rearwardly of the base i, as shown. The weighted lever Q, is provided at an intermediate point in its length with a horizontal forwardly-extending stud orlug Q designed to be engaged by the vertical studs P, P of the curved plate P; and said lever Q, which is preferably held against the quadrant R, by a keeper as c, is designed and adapted to engage the studs or lugs R of said quadrant so as to swing the same and consequently shift the double clutch L In the practical operation of this part of my invention it will be seen that when the clutch L is in engagement with the pinion K, and the carrier base i, is swinging in the direction of the arrow a, (Fig. 1,) the stud or lug P, of the bar or plate P, will engage the stud Q of the lever Q, and as the base continues to swing said stud P, will carry the said lever to a perpendicular position, when it will fall toward the right and engaging the stud R of the quadrant R, will swing said quadrant on its pivot, which through the medium of the link R, will swing the lever 0, so as to carry the clutch L into engagement with the pinion K, and consequently reverse the direction of movement of the base 6, and

the carrier or elevator.

In order to insure a reversal of the direction of movement of the base t', and the carrier or elevator, should the lever Q, fail to work, I have provided the bar or plate P, with the extended lugs or branches P which will engage the center spoke of the quadrant R, and swing the same if said lever Q, fails to do so.

Z, indicates a vertical shaft which is journaled in the upper portion of the frame A, and 2;, indicates a cable or chain which is connected to the bail f, of the carrier or elevator A, and is designed to be wound upon the said shaft so as to raise the carrier or elevator to the position desired. The shaft Z, is provided with a fixed gear wheel h, and it is driven 'from the drive shaft 0, through the medium of the pinion X, the pinion X, mounted on the vertical shaft W, the worm wheel Y, also mounted on the shaft WV, the gear wheel Z, mounted on the shaft is, and the pinion 11., also mounted on the shaft is, and meshmg with the gear wheel h, as shown. The pinion X, on the shaft WV, is loose, and it 1s fixed on said shaft when it is desired to rotate the shaft Z, from the drive-shaft C, by the clutch O actuated by the lever b. The gear wheel Z, is also loosely mounted on its shaft is, and it is provided with a dog 01, designed to engage a ratchet wheel e, which is fixed on said shaft. By reason of the gear Z, being mounted on its shaft in the manner ust described, it will be perceived that said gear will transmit motion to the shaft, when 1t (the gear) is rotated by the worm gear Y, and it will also permit the shaft to be rotated by hand through the medium of the crank a, when it is desired to employ hand power to raise the carrier or elevator.

In the practical operation of the stacker, the carrier or elevator is first adjusted to the desired angle, preferably by hand through the medium of the crank a. The machine which is preferably driven from the separator or thrashing machine, through the medium of a belt taking around the pulley D, is then set in motion, when it will be seen that the carrier or elevator will be swung laterally to and fro and will be slowly raised so as to evenly distribute the straw around the stack and from the bottom to the top of the same. The operator or attendant of the machine stands adjacent to the lever S, and he is enabled through the medium of the same to quickly stop the lateral movement of the carrier or elevator and as quickly start the same. The operator or attendant is also enabled by the lever 17, to stop the vertical movement of the carrier or elevator when desired and as quickly start the same which isan important advantage, as it enables him to place an additional amount of straw upon some parts of the stack which is desirable.

Having described my invention, What I claim is- 1. In a straw stacker, the combination with a movable clutch, a lever connected to the clutch, a pivoted quadrant connected with the lever, and having lugs or studs, and a weighted lever adapted to engage the lugs or studs of the quadrant and having a lug or stud Q of a pivoted carrier base, the curvilinear plate P, connected to the base and carrying the vertical studs P, P, adapted to engage the weighted lever, and the horizontal or radial studs P adapted to engage the quadrant, all substantially as and for the purpose a movable clutch, a lever connected to the clutch, a pivoted quadrant connected with the lever, and having lugs or studs, an independently movable weighted lever adapted to engage the lugs or studs of the quadrant and having a stud or lug, and a pivoted base having lugs adapted to engage the lug or stud of the weighted lever and thereby shift the same, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a straw stacker, the combination, with a main frame and a carrier or elevator pivotally connected to the frame so as to swing vertically; of a drive shaft journaled in the main frame and carrying a beveled gear X, at one end, the shaft Z, also journaled in the main frame, a cable or chain connecting said shaft and the carrier or elevator, a gear wheel mounted on the shaft Z, the shaft is, carrying a pinion at its inner end in mesh with the gear of the shaft Z, the ratchet wheel fixed on said shaft is, a gear wheel Z, loosely mounted on the shaft 70, and having a dog or pawl adapted to engage the ratchet wheel, the vertical shaft W, having a worm wheel Y, in engagement with the gear wheel Z, a beveled pinion X, loosely mounted on the shaft W,

Witnesses: I

JAMES FINDLAY, V. E. BUTLER. 

